I have a client who has a few employees, but refers to one in particular as a blue collar office worker.
Apparently this employee will not start until it is exactly the time to start the day. They also end the day exactly on time as well. It does not matter if they are in the middle of a project that needs 5 more minutes to complete. When it is quitting time, it is quitting time!
They also ensure that they get their breaks, and time their lunch. No second more than necessary is going to go to the employer that they are not paying for.
They also grumble if there is no talk of a raise on a regular basis, regardless of how the business is doing.
So essentially this person is not the overall team player one hopes for when running a small business.
So with this blue collar demeanor, they grumbled about all of the companies short comings and sought a new position, since they believed themselves to undervalued and unappreciated, they went into the market place. Only to find out that they were grossly overcompensated based upon the value the market put on their services.
They were shocked and appalled. They knew that they were worth much more, at least in their mind.
Based upon a company shake-up they were forced to make a move, it is believed that it was a lateral with a cut in pay.
My client is has stabilized the business and is looking to regrow the employee base by one. The ex-employee will not be extended an offer.